Rating: 
Summary: good, not great
Review: For me, this book follows the title to the letter. It is told through the eyes of Linda, a sexually active 13 year old of low to average intelligence. She has been forced to grow up at an astounding rate due to the indifference of her mother, raising her brothers and taking care of one of her step fathers after he has a stoke. She is unaware that any of the molesting and emotional damage to her is abuse. I grew fond of her as the story unfolded but I never loved her. I don't think she quite had the charisma I wanted although I think she certainly had the potential It might have been because of the way the story was written. It seemed completely stripped of emotion, as the title suggests. But I think this would make it much easier for people to read who haven't come across the subjects before. For example, when she is raped there is very little description other than, "When he was inside me I didn't like it. I hit him. I said hurry up." I did enjoy this book but I think it seemed a bit mugged in places. It also doesn't use speech marks, which I found extremely annoying and confusing to read. I couldn't say what age range this book should be for. Perhaps 13 +. Some of the things in it might disturb some people but I honestly think it is told in such away that people won't feel nearly as horrified than of something which is told in detail and with emotion.
Rating: 
Summary: well written
Review: I like the way cole expresess lindas feelings so well .Poor linda has to deal with soo much. Her 2 little brothers that her mother won't take care of .Her mother countless scum boyfriends and much more . But how can a thirteen year old do this ? I really don't know . But Linda's mother doesn't understand that . After witnessing her lover be shot by her moms bf she has to tell the sad , sick tale of her life and hope it will save her from being sent away for adoption .
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning is the only word that describes this book
Review: In The Goats, Brock Cole showed us the resourcefulness children can summon when faced with incredible adversity. But Howie and Laura's journey was a walk in the park compared to the story of Linda, Cole's heroine in The Facts Speak for Themselves. Linda survives the death of her father, the attentions of her mother's series of boyfriends, the death of her stepfather, until she is finally at the scene where the older man with whom she is having an affair is murdered by her mother's ex-boyfriend who kills himself after committing the murder. Like Catcher in the Rye, this book is the confession of a survivor, in this case 13 year old Linda, who is finally in a position to begin to exert some control over her life. Cole's ability to read a young girl's mind is uncanny, and his feel for interior dialogue exquisite.
Rating:
Summary: Heroic Survivor
Review: Linda, the thirteen-year-old survivor of a disastrous family life, tells her story in this realistic and unblushing account. At the beginning of the novel, we find Linda going into protective services following a bloody and climactic debacle in which her alcoholic mother's sometime boyfriend commits suicide after shooting to death, in Linda's presence, Linda's middle-aged seducer/lover, who was also Linda's mother's employer. The novel is made up of Linda's subsequent telling of her life story to her caseworker. CHARACTERS: Linda--A born survivor: capable, brave, resourceful, and cunning. In spite of all the appalling neglect and abuse to which she is subjected, one ends the novel with the impression that she is equal to the task of getting on with her life. Sandra--Linda's mother: Good-looking, a doctor's daughter, and a complete mess. She is vain, self-centered, self-pitying, uncaring, alcoholic, depressed, willful, and incapable. She is, in fact, an exceptionally destructive train-wreck of a person, unable to manage her own life, to say nothing of the lives of her children. COMMENTS: The book is exceptionally well written in straightforward and realistic first-person language. Caution: Four-letter words are used and sexual situations are frankly described.
Rating:
Summary: review of this book
Review: Sex, violence and other mature themes can all be found within the pages of The Facts Speak for Themselves by Brock Cole. This book tells us the story of a young girl by the name of Linda who is 13 years old. She tells the of her life for the last couple of years because of the death of two family friends. During this Linda lives in various southeastern states and attends various schools. The main problem she is dealing with is the separation from her mother and two younger brothers. This book fits into the young adult fiction, another book I've read in this genre is Go ask Alice. Some of the things these books have in common are that they are both young adult girls (teenagers), they both live in modern times and they both deals with the death of others in the book. One of the reasons that I chose this book is because it looked like it might be interesting and I had to read a book for class. This book should be read by a mature teenager or young adult because of the sexual content of this book. Due to the writers plot development I found the book hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: Fierce, unforgettable
Review: TFSFT is the story of a thirteen-year-old girl, named Linda, who gets herself mixed up in all kinds of trouble. It starts out with he witnessing a murder/suicide and being sent to a Christian run home. After the first chapter or two, the entire book is all the past leading up to the murder and why it took place. This one won many awards, including the School Library Journal's "Book Of The Year" award. This is one of those books that you sit down to read a chapter, and two hours later, you realize your still reading it. Linda's narration was truly funny at times, and truly sad at times. But the entire time, this story was REAL. You could imagine it all taking place. It may not have been a true story, but it sure could have. A great story here...well worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: That was one of my favorite books. It was so good. I can't wait to get other Brock Cole books to read. I have read many books but this one was exceptionally good. I think a lot of people should read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A shallowly done book
Review: The title of this book is truly indicative of its content- the facts, and nothing more. Although it could delve into multiple levels of human feeling and emotion, it does not; it presents an unfrilled, straight-up account of Linda's remarkable childhood without any decorations. The book seems to spin over the big things, not giving any signs of emotional depth in some of the events. Linda's emotions, which would have made this a truly fascinating book, are presented poorly if at all. Although her character is supposed to have low-to-average intelligence, this is pushing it. When the book ends, the reader feels as if they have inexplicably missed something, when it is certain they did not. All in all, I do not recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Shocking and brilliantly crafted ...
Review: This book is similar in tone to "Ellen Foster" and "Bastard out of North Carolina", the autobiography of a girl abused by her family. The protagonist is by far the most mature and capable of the three. All the more amazing is that it was written by a man who has the uncanny ability to see through a girl's eyes. Thirteen-year-old Linda has a totally irresponsible and dysfunctional mother. She is the one taking care of her younger siblings and holding her family together. Her Native American stepfather kills himself when her mother has an affair. This is only the beginning, it turns out, of a long string of boyfriends. By the end of the novel she is at the scene when the man who raped her is murdered by her mother's ex-lover. Linda is a girl forced to grow up too soon but more than rises to the challenge, a character you'll never forget.
Rating:
Summary: A powerful read and very emotional.
Review: This book was amazing. The main character is a girl of only 13 years old and she is put through hell and beyond. She is brought up by a mother who has no caring touch to her. Her father dead, her mother has endless boyfriends, and she herself is put through a few things she shouldn't have been put through. I really don't want to tell you anymore because it would be best if you read it for yourself. Make sure you can handle reading things this intense. I wouldn't reccomend it to younger children. Very moving and touching. Read it for a great read.
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